Buddhist View of the Transcendent in Elena Schwartz’s Poetry and Prose

Abstract

This article is part of a study of the Buddhist text in modern Russian literature. It focuses on Elena A. Schwartz, who developed some Buddhist ideas, motives, and images in her poetry and prose. Her artistic world is a viable ecumenical utopia that exists due to the mysticism of personages and environment. This chronotope gets narrower and narrower in a territorial and cultural sense, thus forcing the personages to adapt. Buddhism in Christian, Judaic,or Islamic environment is an alternative to conventional Buddhism: it is essentially similar to the Abrahamic religions as a way to fathom the Transcendent. Buddhism in Russia in general and in St. Petersburg in particular is a mystery and a divine gift, tolerant to the doctrinal and soteriological difference of religions in the face of compassion. Schwartz’s Buddhism is stylistically Russified and Christianized, which does not prevent it from the Buddhification of reality. Buddhist ideas, motifs, and images coexist with Christian ones in an organic spiritual unity. The Buddhist plot of spiritual transformation goes parallel to that of Abrahamic religions as Schwartz’s characters ascend from their meeting with Buddha to obtaining Buddhist enlightenment.